Atlantic Charter
Helps transform the charter's principles into a wider Allied commitment.
Permanent historical records · Updated 2026-11-03
1942 in United States of America
Explore 163 historical events and records for United States of America in 1942.
Historical records for United States of America in 1942
Sorted by month and day. Records with no month are shown last. Showing 40 of 163 unique records.
163Unique records
1 of 5Page
30Named events on this page
21Named people on this page
12Places on this page
January
Atlantic Charter
Signs the Declaration by United Nations incorporating Atlantic Charter principles.
Conference of Washington
An allied pact becomes the United Nations
Conference of Washington
Declaration by 26 Allies not to conclude a separate armistice. An allied pact becomes the United Nations
Declaration of Allies
Declaration by 26 Allies not to conclude a separate armistice, the pact becomes the UN
Treaty of Peace-Allies
Declaration 26 by Allies not to conclude a separate armistice becomes basis for the UN
United Nations
Declaration by 26 Allies not to conclude a separate armistice, the pact becomes the UN. Declaration 26 by Allies not to conclude a separate armistice becomes basis for the UN
Peace
Britain, the USA, China & 22 Allies agree not to make a separate peace with Germany
Marriage
Marries Mickey Rooney
Death of Carole Lombard
Death of Carole Lombard
War Production Board
Nelson coordinates conversion of civilian factories and allocation of strategic materials.
Birth of Muhammad Ali
Birth of Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr
Visit to Belfast
The first US Army unit to arrive in Britain, elements of the 34th Division, land at Belfast (Northern Ireland)
February
US Army Air Force (USAAF) European HQ is established at Daws Hill
US Army Air Force (USAAF) European HQ is established at Daws Hill, High Wycombe (Bucks)
USAAF
US Army Air Force (USAAF) European HQ is established at Daws Hill, High Wycombe (Bucks)
March
Birth of Lewis Allan Reed
Birth of Lewis Allan Reed, later known professionally as Lou Reed.
Promotion to Major General
Promoted to temporary Major General while serving on the War Department General Staff.
Commander US Naval Forces in Europe
Appointed Commander of the US Naval forces in Europe
Commander US Naval Forces in Europe
Appointed Commander of the US Naval forces in Europe
Enigma Machine
Is selected by NCR to lead engineering of a high-speed U.S. Navy Bombe for four-rotor Enigma.
April
Battle of Bataan
The US surrenders to the Japanese on Bataan. MacArthur is evacuated but Allied prisoners are forced on the Bataan Death March
Battle of Bataan
The US surrenders to the Japanese on Bataan
Result of Surrender of American Forces on Bataan
American forces surrender and Parker enters Japanese captivity for the remainder of the war.
Surrender of American Forces on Bataan
Surrenders to the Japanese, spends the rest of the war in a prisoner of war camp
Bombing of Tokyo
Leads the B52 bombing of Tokyo & other Japanese cities
General Maximum Price Regulation
The OPA imposes broad price ceilings to restrain wartime inflation.
Treasury Bill Rate Support
The Federal Reserve directs Reserve Banks to purchase Treasury bills offered at a fixed three-eighths percent discount rate, supporting wartime government financing and anchoring short-term interest rates.
Conference of London
At a General Staff Conference the US is given the task of planning entry into Europe. At a General Staff Conference the US is given planning mobilization in Britain
Operations Division Appointment
Appointed Assistant Chief of Staff in charge of the Operations Division for Army Chief of Staff George C. Marshall.
May
Battle of Bataan
The US surrenders to the Japanese on Corregidor after the surrender of Bataan
Battle of Coral Sea
Japanese expansion in the Pacific is stopped off New Guinea
London Allied Coordination Mission
Conducts a mission to London to improve coordination between American and British military planning.
Manhattan Project
Groves appoints Oppenheimer to head the project's secret weapons laboratory
Manhattan Project
Oppenheimer is given the title "Coordinator of Rapid Rupture", specifically referring to the propagation of a fast neutron chain reaction in an atomic bomb
Manhattan Project
Groves appoints Oppenheimer to head the project's secret weapons laboratory
June
Battle of Midway
Spruance & Fletcher sink 4 Japanese carriers with the loss of the Yorktown
Battle of Midway
Provides the Japanese code which inform the Americans of the Japanese plans
Battle of Midway
Attacks Japanese carriers heading for Midway, lulls Nagumo into false sense of victory
Battle of Midway
Turns away from Yamamoto & frustrates the his plan for trapping US forces
Army Atomic District Organisation
Brigadier General Wilhelm Styer directs Colonel James C. Marshall to organise an Army Corps of Engineers district to consolidate atomic bomb development.
How these records were prepared
Generated from the World History Database historical_events table. Identical display records are collapsed; descriptions otherwise retain the stored text. Coverage and source quality vary. Check primary and specialist sources before citing individual historical claims.